Political parties in Bengal cancel events as rain causes waterlogging in Kolkata
Heavy rain and severe waterlogging hit Kolkata hard after overnight downpours, forcing major political parties in West Bengal to scrap all their events on Tuesday.
The ruling Trinamool Congress skipped every planned activity for the day. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also nixed her inaugurations of Durga Puja pandals, citing the record rainfall that turned streets into rivers. She plans to kick off the puja celebrations starting Wednesday, weather permitting. On her schedule for that day: unveiling a new fire station in Kalighat, designed like the famous Kalighat Temple.
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari from the BJP followed suit, canceling his full lineup due to the relentless rains and flooding. He was set to join BJP lawmakers for a screening of “The Bengal Files” at the Indian Museum, but that got axed too. Adhikari also ditched plans to inaugurate two pujas—one honoring a slain BJP worker in Beliaghata and another in Kolkata’s Kasba area.
Even the Congress party hit pause. Three national leaders—Supriya Shrinate, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, and Mahima Singh—were in Kolkata for a press conference, but waterlogging and forecasts of more scattered showers led to a full cancellation. “The party meeting couldn’t go ahead,” said state Congress convener Mita Chakraborty.
The CPI-M’s Kolkata district committee meeting faced the same fate, with the party announcing its postponement amid the chaos.
The storms dumped over 300 mm of rain across the city from midnight to 5 p.m., submerging neighborhoods in knee-deep water and grinding daily life to a halt. Officials reported at least seven deaths from electrocution in the flooded streets.
In response, the West Bengal government declared an early holiday for Durga Puja preparations, while Calcutta University pushed back its Tuesday exams to keep students safe. As Kolkata recovers from this heavy rainfall deluge, residents hope for clearer skies ahead of the festival season.
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